Monday, April 9, 2007

Ching Ming Festivals (Ancestor Worship Day) + Hana Day Gathering

*** BEWARE: TONS OF PHOTOS... PLEASE LEAVE IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE MOOD FOR PHOTOS LOADING... CHECK BACK SOON FOR NEW POST!! ***

5 years ago, my grandfather passed away, 6 months after that, my uncle passed away too... 6 months later, my grandmother followed my grandfather too... Those were times which is unforgttable to me... And I'll continue to miss them and will never ever forget the existance of them in this world... Even though they're no longer exist anymore...

Ching Ming Festivals are a memorial day to our ancestor and we have to pray them with foods and some stuffs... The actual day of Ching Ming actually is 5th of April, but we can pray to the ancestors 10days before and after the actual Ching Ming Day... And all of the family members gather together at the grave of their relatives and pray to them... Those praying stuffs are not so special actually, just like some daily stuffs we'll use often.. Such as:

*Clothes... Hehe... They need new clothes just like we do... hehe*

*New shoes often comes after new clothes right? See how shiny this pair of shoes is! Haha*

And last but not least:

*boxes of money which contains alot of hell money inside!*

See that big piece of white paper on top of the box? Actually that is a passport for the ancestor which we're meant to give this box to him/her... It's like a banking system... These boxes of money will be control by bank staffs in another world, and once the ancestor got the passport which work same like our bank passbook, they can withdraw their box of money...

I don't know how true this is, but just follow the old tradition... And probably everyone will feel better that they really did something to those passed away relatives and give them something... Hmm... This is how complicated the preparation is, and I'm going to show you the Ultimate Complicated Process of the day of praying...

8th April 2007

I wake up as early as 4:15am... We got to go to Nirvana Memorial Garden at Semenyih because both my grandparents and my uncle's grave are there... This memorial garden are quite far from my house and we gotta reach there at 6am.... OH GOD! SO EARLY!!! Seriously lack of sleep... Better depart as early as we could, because every year we're the LAST ONE to arrive! HAHAHAHAHAHAH XD

*Those boxes of money, foods have to put inside the car booth.. Too many things!! X_X*

*This is the lonely highway at the time 5:30am... Boringzzzzzzzz*

Usually, we'll take the another alternative road at Ampang there to go to that memorial garden... But last year, we discovered that the Cheras to Seremban highway can reach within 4o minutes!!! And the road is just some really straight road... If take the road at Ampang one, I'll end up vomit in front of my grandparents grave... Those roads are mountain roads and very curvy... And very time consuming too, even though no need to pay for toll, but I really prefer the Cheras Road... haha... And this year, we arrive at 6:10am!! We're THE FIRST ONE TO ARRIVE!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA XDXDXDXDXDXD

So, everyone which comes to Nirvana Memorial Garden, the first place to go is not the relative's grave, but is the temple... Just to pay some respect to those Gods which protect the place...

*This is the side of the temple... There's a lot of gardens and fake fountains around this temple... Nice surrounding it had....*

Then after pay respect, we all sitting at the chairs beside the temple waiting for my dad's 2nd big brother and 3rd big brother to arrive... And I start talking crap with my brothers... Until 6:45am... The sky starts to become pale... And we sense of some unusual... They should've arrive isn't? My dad called them up, they already arrive at grandparent's grave! =.=""""""" What the.... They should've tell isn't?? There's something in this world called mobile phone!!! And the usage of it is to call and inform!! If you don't know how to use just give your damn phone to me! I'll maximize it's usage!! LOL!

Then we went to the grave... And it was not well manage... Everyone was kinda mad about the management because they pay quite alot of management fees to the company... and It end up the grave very dirty! haihz... And they have to clean up themselves!!

*Cleaning the grave... I thought this is one of the purpose of Ching Ming Festivals??? LOL! Why so mad about cleaning it???*

After the grave was cleaned... Every family will put and present all the fruits, foods and drinks they bring and put it in front of the grave like this:

*These are mostly my grandparents favourite food and drinks.... And also, later will be our breakfast too... LOL!!*

After those foods are present... Here comes the start of this whole praying thing... The eldest son of my grandparents will be the first one to pray with the 3 medium size joss sticks, but since my uncle already passed away, so his eldest son a.k.a my cousin brother will be his representative to pray first.

*Medium size joss stick... and praying...*

*Each of the family member gotta pray with joss stick...*

After that, starts the time of waiting for my grandparents to consume the foods... I know it sounds ridiculous but tradition ma... What can I do??? Hahahaha.... But hor, I found something weird also... Those tea, coffee and alcohol inside those cups, the water level will reduce very fast... And have to continuosly add more and more liquid into it... Although not really believe that they'll consume, but this is one weird phenomenal...

*This is how the surrounding of my grandparents grave looks like... There are so many phases in this memorial garden... and alot kinds of graves too... LOL!*

*The only cure for not being bored - READ!!! Hahaha... This is what I bring along to read today...*

And I discovered that besides reading, cam whoring will be another good way to kick away boringness... But, after you look at the picture of yourself that you took which is so sucks, you won't feel like taking them anymore... LOL!

*Chubby face + Suck hairstyle = The worst you can have in a photo... haha XD*

*Compare to the previous one, I like this one more... Can't see my hair... haha... Actually I was trying to hide at somewhere from the sun!! Haha*

There was no clouds at the sky... and the sun just so shiny and hot!!! Oh My Goodness!! I'm going to be a few tone darker than now... Haihz... I wear long sleeves and long jeans... I don't care about comfortable... I just care that whether I'm fair or not!!! And I don't see that wearing short pants will be very comfortable... You guys have to suffer from mosquitoes bite!! Hahahahaha!!!

After waiting for some while, it's time to burn those moneys to my grandparents...

*A contribution to the pollution.... V_V*

After burning those money and stuffs... It's time to ask my grandparents whether they finish their meal... Just like throwing two coins into the floor... If one side is flower and one side is number means they're finish... LOL! So, they really are finished! It's our turn then...

I personally think those foods are soooooooo dirty exposed to sun and all those ashes of joss sticks and those burning stuffs and all those flies are happily flying here and there and ants are so happily stealing all the small pieces of those cakes... Just so gross!!! XP But everyone have to eat even a little bit as a respect and will bring prosperity to you... LOL

After eat, it's time to pack up and head to my uncle's grave...

*His grave*

*Pray with joss sticks... And his son's are burning stuffs to him... Another serious case of pollution contribution!*

Everyone was so hot, and thirsty... And my cousin brother they really clever, they bring a cooler box which fills with a lot of cold drinks... and I grab one to quench my thirst... and you know what i'm drinking???

*I'm drinking water from the fountain of TRUTH!!! This is the drink of Digi event... LOL!!! I Will Follow You....*

After pay respect to my uncle, and my parents chat with my uncle's family a while, then we retreat!!! The weather was so hot and all the burning smokes just makes people suffocating! I want to forever be inside my dad's car!!! Got air cond... So nice and happy!!

*Ice cream - The solution for a hot day!*

*Clear blue sky and well manage surround is one of the attractiveness of Nirvana Memorial Garden...*

*This kinds of cutting of trees makes the tree looks chubby and cute~*

My dad took the Ampang road back because assumed that Cheras road will be quite traffic jam... And really! It's jammed because my dad got phone calls from his brother.... Good good, my dad make the right choice...

Probably because no need to rush home, so my dad drive quite decent... and I just feel a little bit of nausea... hehe... I reach Ampang 11:30am...

Decided to go to Kei's house because we all will gather at Jaya Jusco, Alpha Angle at 1pm... I lazy to go home and then come out again... I scare I can't resist the seduce from my bed... Hahahaha... So, I go her house, watched a while oh NHK 57th Red White Singing Competition! Hohohoho... So geng la all those Japanese... ^_^ Very admire their singing skills... They really can sing and dance without feeling suffer or lack of oxygen! Good stamina! And Real performance!! ^o^

1pm, reach Jaya Jusco... I think this is the most on time I reach the destination that me and my friends have set... LOL! Pity me.... And we had McDonalds for lunch and I feel like sleeping on the table when we finish our meals and chatting... We chat like, chat a bit then awkward silence a bit... Is it our lifestyle start to go into a different path?? After 2-3 hours++ of chatting, we decided to walk...

Yi Che gotta buy lotus root, she's wondering which lotus root is nice... We also help her see and search for the nice one, but I saw some lotus root just look like, erm, banana in an expand size! hahahahaha, so FAT!!! And we laugh at those vegetables names especially one with the name same as Harry Potter - It's a Harry Marrow... Probably is Harry Potter's sister... Hahahahaha XDXDXDXD Should be Hairy Marrow instead....

After we bought things at Jaya Jusco, we went to cosmetic department because Yi Che need to buy clinique's stuff... Request by her mum... LOL! Then we go play dance machine!! Woo~ Me and Kei played 2 times... 1 times is 5 songs... After the 2nd round, I feel that every inch of my body so happy because they exercised!! LOL!!! Sweat alot!! And the we go have a rest and looking at stuffs at S&J souvenir shops... 4 of us bought this:

*Mine is Black Red, Kei's is White Black, Yi Che one is Red Black, and Aira one is Blue Black.*

I tell them to hang to their handphone until next year Hana Day then we buy a new one... haha... To replace the old one... LOL!!! I bet Kei's one is going to change colour, to Grey Black next year!!! Hahahahahahaha....

After buy it, we all decided to o Aira's house... hehe... And she say wanna buy the Moo Ice Cream Cookies! So that everyone can eat at her room and chat... How sweet~ Hehehe... Then we go JJ buy, and then go search for Yi Che's car...

We reach Son house 5 something, and we all hide at her air cond room and chat...

The more we chat, the more hilarious and jokes we can come out... LOL!!! Feels like the old US come back... haha... I will never ever forget that we can chat and laugh till non stop!!!Hahahahahahahahahaha.... When wanna chat again??? LOL! GacktJob Day?? Haha XD

Although today only have 4 of us, but I feel happy that can gather with you guys... Don't forget our tradition ya~ hahahaha XD Miss You Guys alot~ Hope the trip can work out! hoho!